Stories from the Streets
by Wkdly.Rita
Summary: A compilation of shorter stories, each focused on a different character or pair of characters- including relatives of the Oliver & Company crew. 1. 'Storm of Central Park', 2. 'Sisters Reunited' (both complete)... and more to come.
1. Contents

**Stories from the Streets**

_**Contents:**_

**Storm of Central Park**

Chapter 1: The Odd Couple

Chapter 2: Breaking Up

Chapter 3: Loneliness

Chapter 4: Chloe's Gift

**Sisters Reunited**

Chapter 1: Reunited

Chapter 2: Moving Forward

Chapter 3: Bittersweet Parting


	2. The Odd Couple

**Storm of Central Park**

A bolt of lightning illuminated all but the darkest crevices of the lonely alleyway; previously hidden rats flashing into visibility for a moment, and then creeped on in the black night. The alley was lined by many trashcans, dumpsters and heaped piles of junk, so it was small wonder that there was many a rodent calling it home. Disturbed by the thunder, lightning and howling winds of the wild night, a thin dog lifted his head from his sleeping place. The weather didn't scare him. He, along with his siblings, Thunder, Rain, Lightning and Howl, were named for the storm that had raged on the very night of their birth. The name, Storm, gave a distinct impression of wildness, and the dog had always been fond of it. By coincidence, there had been a thunderstorm on the other most important day of the young dog's life as well; the day he'd finally decided he'd had enough of being neglected by his humans and had taken off on a long journey to the big city. The heavy rain left Storm shivering, but it stirred in him an exhilaration; the sheer power of these forces of nature reminding him than anything was possible. A former pet, he was now a street dog, a stray. By all expectations- even his own if he was brutally honest, he should have died by now. He was a mix of Afghan and saluki, two breeds not renowned for their road sense. After a few near misses, Storm was confident that he could avoid a clash with the underside of a car if he just kept his wits about him. Other breed traits, he discovered, served him well- he was a skilled hunter and a resourceful thief, not needing the direction of any human master. He was _his own _master. Even as a young dog of not much more than a year old, he had proved himself to be strong and capable. Storm didn't need anybody, and he was perfectly happy that way.

Trying to get comfortable so he'd drift back to sleep, Storm squirmed in his plastic trash bag. Ever the resourceful one, he'd torn it open and emptied the contents; once he'd eaten anything worth picking at, he'd wriggled inside. It acted as a sort of sheet or raincoat, keeping him dry as the rain came down. Just because Storm wasn't frightened by wild weather, didn't mean he wanted to get soaking wet. He closed his eyes. Would this thunder storm be heralding another new chapter in his life? Storm was too tired to give it much thought. Whatever awaited him, he'd see to it once he'd had some decent shut-eye.

* * *

When the sun rose the next day, it brought about a change- no longer was the sky rumbling with apparent displeasure, no longer did clouds hang overhead. Storm stretched out his lean body, ready to start a new day. He was tall and lanky, his ribs visible beneath his fine red-brown coat. He had a dark mask, and similarly dark fur up his legs, neck, and in his messy topknot. A splash of white on his chest and belly stood out starkly against the deep brown, and it was that which one would see first should he approach from out the shadows. A human might say that Storm was in need of a good grooming, but he himself found his slightly dishevelled appearance to be quite satisfactory.

Rising with the sun, Storm knew where his first port of call would be; Central Park. Early each day, the park buzzed with countless dogs, free to play with no leashes to hold them back, with no reason to fear a dog catcher's pole. It wasn't so much the company that appealed to Storm, he didn't really need anyone, but it was the best opportunity to be able to run and play, completely carefree, as he could use the free roaming pets as cover. For all anyone knew, he was just another one. An early morning stretch out on the park was fast becoming part of Storm's routine; a bit of fresh air and space to start each day was welcome in a world that seemed to be largely made up of concrete, metal and shouting humans. The lanky hound was finding his feet in the ever-moving environment that had become his home- after several months of trial and error, he was now comfortably making a living as a street dog and couldn't imagine ever going back to the life of a pet. Today would be just another day in the life of a young dog happily roughing it in New York City.

As he arrived at the great park, Storm broke into a jaunty trot, and he held his tail high and merry as he greeted the morning. Already there were pet dogs of all shapes, sizes, colours and breeds running around, and he couldn't wait to join in the frivolities. Storm sped up, and soon he was running off the pavement and through the grass, the early morning dew making the fur on his legs damp. A bounce in every step, he pranced around in his own little world. It was the way he liked it- and while the park belonged to the dogs of the city, there was no reason to watch his back. _This _was freedom.

Out of nowhere, a blurred streak in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He skidded to a halt and looked around, curious- it wasn't often he came across a dog who could move that fast! He watched her, entranced. The dog appeared to be a saluki- a bitch, and her golden fur was stunning in the morning sun. She moved with such grace, and her delicate paws barely seemed to scrape the ground as she effortlessly galloped across the expense of grass. Storm was certain that he'd never seen anyone or anything quite so beautiful in his life.

Storm gave a sharp bark, and was thrilled to see the bitch look his way and grin playfully. He jumped into a play bow and raced after her, his tail wagging. Soon, his strides matched hers, and they seemed to be moving as if in perfect harmony. The bitch threw another glance over her shoulder and gave a joyous howl, seemingly loving the game of chase that she'd pulled the handsome stranger into- and he was getting ever closer. It was just what Storm needed to encourage him to ramp up his pursuit, and he threw himself forward.

Nearing the lake, and well aware of Storm being hot on her heels, the young bitch saw an opportunity for a bit of mischief. She turned her head to give him a sly grin, and then made a sudden change of direction, taking him by surprise.

Going as fast as he was, Storm wasn't prepared for the sharp turn, and found himself falling over his paws and tripping headlong down the bank and into the water. He spluttered and splashed as his lean body was enveloped in cold and his long fur obscured his vision. When he'd managed to shake the soaked fur from his eyes, Storm looked up to see the bitch laughing as she lay spread out on the edge of the water. He found himself grinning, pleased that she hadn't just run off. It was bizarre- why did her company matter so much to him?

"That's a serious turn of speed you've got there," the bitch said with a giggle, "If that lake hadn't got in the way, you might have caught me."

Storm reached the shore and shook himself, quickly becoming very conscious of the fact that he probably looked something like a drowned rat- a great contrast to the picture of beauty that lay before him. "Maybe," he said, "we should do this again sometime. See if it wasn't just a fluke that you got away."

The bitch's eyes lit up and her tail wagged. This handsome- if bedraggled- stranger was charming as well as quick. His dark, thoughtful eyes spoke of his good nature, and she was entranced. "I come here every morning. If you're around, we could meet at the same place. What about you?" she asked, and then remembering her manners, added quickly, "I'm Chloe, by the way. That's not my show name, but it's what people call me."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Chloe," Storm said, wagging his tail. It seemed remarkable to home that this pet- not only a pet, but a _show dog_\- was giving him the time of day, but she seemed just as interested in him as he was in her. "My name is Storm. There's no one to really call me by it, but it's the one I've got. I can be by the fountain again tomorrow morning, if you find yourself wanting another run."

Just then, Chloe registered something that had been under her nose the whole time. "Wait- you don't have a collar!"

Storm nodded. "No collar, no human. Just me." Now he was nervous. If she hadn't realised the sort of dog he was until now, there was every chance she'd just get up and leave.

_A stray! _Chloe was stunned, but yet she couldn't deny the attraction she felt. What harm was there really in her befriending this wild hound? There was no need to shout it from the rooftops to her friends from the shows; whatever might happen would be between her and Storm. Chloe felt suddenly very excited- this had to be the most rebellious thing she'd ever done! "I guess I'll see you back here tomorrow morning then," she said, without a trace of apprehension in her voice. "No master, huh? I bet you know all the best places to have some fun."

Scarcely able to believe what he was hearing, Storm yipped with excitement and bounced down on his forequarters, inviting Chloe to play. "_All _the best places. If you wanted, I could take you round town one night; if your humans were out the way, we could maybe go for something to eat… and maybe get to know each other a little better." Never before had Storm felt inclined to ask someone out on what amounted to a date, but she'd touched something new in him, and he dared to see how far it might go.

Delighted, Chloe returned the play bow. "My masters are going out to a party tonight- if you follow me home you'll know where to find me." Then, she sprung forward, launching herself playfully at the other hound.

The two dogs chased and frolicked for what must have been an hour or more, with Storm's fur soon drying off in the morning sunshine. An electricity surged between the stray and the show dog, with neither able to keep their eyes off the other for more than a minute. Finally tired and lacking the stamina of her new friend, Chloe found a spot in the sun to sprawl on her belly. Her golden fur shone in the mid-morning light. Panting, Storm joined her.

"So have you always been, you know, a stray?" Chloe asked tentatively. She'd never so much as talked to a dog without a human before, the very concept being totally alien to her. Of course she'd seen street dogs before- there were plenty of them around the place, but Storm wasn't the savage she'd imagined strays to be.

"A little while now. I was born a pet; I was pretty happy in my birth home, but my second human family didn't care for me. I was just left in the yard all the time with nothing to do and no one to talk to. I figured I could make a better life on my own, and I have done," Storm said.

"I couldn't imagine a life without a human," Chloe sighed, feeling guilty even at the thought. Her humans were everything to her, and that was what she'd been brought up to believe made a dog a dog. Storm was challenging the way she looked at the world, and she wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

"Chloe! _Chloe!_ Where have you been, you crazy dog!"

Both Chloe and Storm turned, seeing a man running toward them.

"Sorry, Storm, it's my human- I've got to go," Chloe said, and she hastily made her way back to her master. Before she reached the man who was panting after running all around the park in search of her, she turned around to call to Storm. "Even if you don't come around tonight, same place tomorrow morning? I'll be waiting."

The grin returned to Storm's face. He hadn't thought he'd wanted one, but it seemed he'd found a friend.

* * *

Storm took the same path he'd taken when following Chloe home, finding himself in front of a tidy apartment building. He wasn't sure if he was expected to try and get in to the building itself- he hoped not, he had no idea how such a move could be pulled off unnoticed. It was a relief when a delicate face appeared around the side of the building.

"Storm! I'm here!" Chloe's voice shook with excitement; never had she even imagined being such a rebel, but the handsome hound was just too much of a lure.

His own heartbeat quickening, Storm barked a happy greeting. He was a little nervous… if this was a date, and he suspected it was, it was something all new to him. A little unsure of himself, he trotted up to her and shyly licked her cheek. "Glad I found you! Ready to see some sights?"

Chloe's cheeks felt hot, but it was nice… exhilarating.

Storm led Chloe through the city streets; even at night there were humans around, and the hound had often wondered if they ever slept. He could sense that Chloe was uneasy, probably, he thought, because she'd never gone anywhere without a human in tow. Storm walked close to her, and hoped that his quiet confidence would rub off. Slowly, her movements became stronger, more self-assured.

"So," he said, "Do you have anything in mind? Have you seen the Statue of Liberty yet? It makes for a nice view this time of night."

Chloe shook her head. She'd seen remarkably little of the city for someone who'd lived there her whole life- her experiences were limited to those she shared with her humans. "No, but I'd like to. Really, I'm just interested to see what it's like, having freedom. I've never been able to just run and explore- I want you to show me."

A grin came to Storm's face. "I can do that," he said softly, "just come with me."

Soon, the two of them were running side by side, jumping in every puddle as rain began to fall. Storm couldn't believe he could have so much fun with another dog; it was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. He'd not met anyone with such speed and agility, and as she gained in confidence, Chloe became increasingly silly and playful. For a pampered pet, she wasn't half bad.

Chloe followed close on Storm's tail as he led her up winding pathways, higher and higher until they were looking over the Hudson. She gasped at the sight; the water shimmered with the reflected lights of Manhattan, and it was incredibly beautiful. The statue herself stood proudly, and Chloe couldn't say she'd blame her; it was quite the kingdom that Lady Liberty reigned over.

"Pretty, huh?" Storm said, and he lay himself down.

"It's amazing, Storm," Chloe replied, her eyes wide with wonderment. "You don't see stuff like this when you're on the end of a leash."

Storm studied her, his expression soft. Chloe seemed so happy in his company- might they have a future as friends or even, and he felt embarrassed to even think it, something more? Being a young loner, Storm hadn't much thought about finding a mate; he just wasn't really interested in most of the bitches he met, but there was just something about Chloe. For the first time, he didn't feel trapped by having company, he was just naturally comfortable around her, and it felt wonderful. As she looked back to him, Storm saw a glimmer of desire- was the attraction mutual? "Can't say I miss being tied to a human, not when there's a whole world at your paws. You ever thought about becoming your own dog?"

Taken aback by the question, one that challenged everything she'd built her life upon, Chloe frantically shook her head. "Never! I have humans; they're _mine _and they're what makes me a real dog."

"And what am I?" Storm asked with a laugh, "A fish?"

Chloe's expression hardened. "It's not funny. Our kind have been friends of humans for thousands of years, and that means something. It means everything. Don't you ever feel lonely?" she asked, perplexed by her new friend.

Storm gave her a kind smile. "I get it; your life is something different. Honestly, I was much lonelier when I had human masters. Now, I'm alone by choice, not because someone just don't care for me. There's a big difference. I'm better without them."

Chloe looked back to the lights shining over the city. Storm's way of thinking was so different to hers, but she couldn't deny that the life he led intrigued her. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun, certainly her humans didn't provide her with a whole lot of adventure and excitement. It felt like she was betraying her own masters, but as long as they didn't know, what was the harm in Chloe's spending nights out with this handsome and fascinating stranger? "I can see why you love this life so much- the whole city at your paws."

"How about I show you some more tomorrow night?" Storm asked hopefully, heartened by Chloe's acceptance of their differences.

Her eyes twinkling in the moonlight, Chloe couldn't help but smile. "I'd really like that."

Storm found himself smiling back. He moved closer, and gently, their muzzles met.

* * *

True to her word, Chloe was at the same spot in the park the next morning… and the next, and the next, and the next. Storm's races and playtime with the graceful saluki fast became a highlight of each day, and every morning he found himself more excited to be in her company. He'd gotten into the habit of sleeping in the park overnight- partially because it was more pleasant an environment than cold concrete corners, but more than that, because it made him feel close to his sweet, elegant friend. He could wake up each morning, and know that he'd soon be with her, and it was a wonderful feeling- one that he'd never expected. However much fun the two young lovers had together in the park though, it soon became overshadowed by the nights when Storm would steal Chloe away for a few hours.

The days turned to weeks, and the affection between the two hounds grew and grew. Chloe found wonderment in the exciting world that Storm was sharing with her; he'd opened to eyes to a feeling of freedom that she didn't even know was possible. The tenderness with which he regarded her spoke to her heart, and Chloe felt herself falling for the scruffy young stray. Storm found his own eyes opened to new possibilities; that humans could be kind, rather the cruel- but more importantly, that he didn't need to be alone to be happy, it just took someone special to awaken him to the love within himself. She told him of her pampered life with her humans, her show career, and all the places she'd been. Chloe talked rather a lot, but Storm had always been more of a listener than a talker, and he didn't mind one bit. He'd fallen for Chloe hard; he was in love with her, and she brought more joy to his life with each passing day. He couldn't imagine- neither of them could- a life in which they were not together. Neither Storm nor Chloe could foresee the curveball that would soon be thrown their way.


	3. Breaking Up

Chloe stretched her lean body out to its full length with every stride, the light drizzle of rain doing little to dampen the exhilaration that pulsed through her as she galloped down the dark street, Storm at her side. This was what they did now; almost every night she would join him and experience a world far richer than her humans had ever allowed her to see. She lived a double life- by day she was Champion Fleetwind Golden Flower, a pampered show dog of great reputation, but by night she was just plain old Chloe, lover of a wily street dog. Chloe could never mention Storm to any of her dog show friends- as if they'd ever understand? He was a secret, so far removed from the rest of her world that she world that there could be no overlap.

Storm let out a howl that bounced off the concrete around him. He was having a whale of a time- each night he'd find himself more and more besotted with the beautiful lady who was not only his lover, but the only real friend he'd had since he was with his littermates. He was a loner by choice, but Chloe's charm had penetrated all his walls, and it made the affection he felt for her all the more special.

Finally, Chloe could run no longer. Panting in the night air, she slowed to a trot and gazed after Storm as he skidded to a stop in front of her. Even now she could never quite keep pace with him, and she remained suspicious that he wasn't even running at full pelt. Despite this, Storm always said that Chloe had a grace about her in her every movement- something that he couldn't hope to pull off. He said that she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen, and Chloe couldn't help but be flattered.

His tongue lolling out and tail wagging, Storm turned back to Chloe. "D'you need to head home?"

"The masters are out partying," Chloe replied, "they're not going to notice me having some fun of my own. I'm just a little puffed, that's all." She rubbed her head against the underside of Storm's.

Storm was a little relieved, and very grateful for the busy nightlife of Chloe's human masters. He knew where they should go now- the park, the place where they first met. Lying in the grass together, they'd be in their own world away from his street life and her apartment one. With a gentle nudge to his lover's side, he started on his way, taking an easy pace for Chloe's benefit.

Out of the shadows, the figure of a dog cut in front of the pair. He was tall and scruffy, clearly, Chloe thought, a street dog like Storm. Immediately, she felt uneasy- there was something menacing about the stranger.

"Where are you two off to?" the stranger asked, his eyes fixed on Chloe.

Storm's hackles raised. He was aware that Chloe was coming into season, but he hadn't bet on getting unwanted attention from creeps like this. "I don't see how it's any concern of yours," he growled.

The stranger ignored Storm and moved closer to Chloe, trying to better take in her scent. She backed away, nervous.

"What's the matter, darling?" the stranger asked, almost unblinking as he stared at the bitch. "I can make you an offer too good to refuse…" He moved in again, brushing up against Chloe.

_Snap! _Storm sprang forward, clamping his jaws down on the stranger's neck. The strange dog spun around and struck back, leaving Chloe cowering in fear. In just a matter of seconds, a fight had erupted, and Chloe, miles out of her comfort zone, was stunned. It wasn't just the threatening stranger who was frightening her- it was Storm too. The flashing teeth, the fierceness in which he threw himself at the newcomer, the wildness in his eyes… it was something that Chloe had never before witnessed in him. Frozen on the spot, Chloe had no idea where to turn, what to do- her Storm truly was a street dog, a creature so different from herself. How had she not recognised it before?

After a brief tussle, the stranger turned tail and ran, while Storm snapped at his heels. As he turned around, back toward Chloe, his fur flattened, the wild look in his eye faded, and his expression was once again gentle. He gave a whine of distress. Poor Chloe could have been in real danger… she seemed to have little sense of when to put on an aggressive front to defend herself. The stranger's intentions had been clear to him, but had Chloe an inkling of how to keep herself out of trouble? Storm wasn't so sure. She must have been so scared…

"Are you all right?" he asked gently, and was hurt to see Chloe back away from him. Could she really believe, even for a moment, that he'd ever do her any harm? "Honey, are you okay?" he urged.

The fight was completely absent in Storm's eyes, replaced by something different; upset, pleading, as if he was a pup begging for reassurance. Chloe couldn't believe she'd doubted him even for a second; he'd only done what was necessary to protect her. She relaxed her stance, and before she knew it, she was cuddled up to her mate and feeling a new security in his embrace. He was a street dog, and maybe she'd never quite understand the hardships he had to be prepared to face, but there was only goodness in him. Shaken by the encounter with the stranger, Chloe found herself crying into Storm's neck.

"I'm sorry I scared you," Storm whispered, "I've just met enough dogs like that, sometimes they just don't know when to back off. I couldn't risk you getting hurt."

Chloe shook her head, feeling foolish. She was exceptionally lucky to have someone as streetwise as Storm on her side. "You don't need to apologise; I should be thanking you." To her relief, Storm's face broke into a smile, apparently reassured that he had her trust. She licked his muzzle and gazed into his dark eyes. "If you still want to go to the park, I'd love to find a nice place- by the lake maybe- where we can snuggle down together. It's a beautiful night for it."

Storm couldn't imagine anything he'd rather do. He reminded himself that Chloe was coming into season and that they'd have to be careful, but then to his assessment she was not ready yet anyway… a little romance would have no consequences. He wanted to be close to her, as she did him; together in the shelter of the trees and bushes, they could share their secret love with nothing and no one to fear.

* * *

Storm woke the next morning back in the park, huddled beneath a leafy bush by the fence from which he could see Chloe and her master approaching. It was his favoured sleeping place for many nights now, for it meant he would be ready and waiting for meeting his mate as she took her morning outing. He stretched out, made himself comfortable, and quietly waited.

The usual morning rush of off-leash dogs came and went, but there was no sign of Chloe. Disappointed, Storm got to his feet, shook himself and got on with his day. He wasn't too surprised; Chloe had been coming into season, and it would make sense for her humans to want to keep her in the security of the apartment. It would be likely that she wouldn't be much in the mood for spending time with Storm when night came either, but he'd drop by all the same, just to say hello and make sure she was feeling fine.

That night, Storm found Chloe was indeed in season and feeling rather fragile. She sat and talked from the fire escape, but wasn't up for any adventures or romance. Storm was just happy to see that she was all right. With an expression of his affection for her and a gentle smile, he went back on his way.

The next week or so was very much the same, and while Storm missed the fun he'd not long ago been sharing with Chloe, he still looked forward to the time he spent talking to her from outside the apartment, She'd not been feeling too good, so the meetings were becoming shorter, but he walked away each time full of affection and knowing that she loved him right back. But then things changed again. When Storm came to the apartment one night, his calls were unanswered, and Chloe never appeared to see him. It was certainly odd, but maybe she just feeling ill? Storm found himself looking forward even more to the time when Chloe's season would come to an end and things would return to normal. Weeks passed, however, and there was still no sign of her. Storm's calls grew more and more frantic, on several occasions leading him to be shooed away by human residents, but still Chloe was nowhere to be seen. Even has his distress intensified, Storm knew that he couldn't just give up- she _loved _him, she'd come out to see him sooner or later.

Finally, one cool evening, Chloe was waiting at the fire escape when Storm turned the corner. His heart leapt and he ran forward, his tail wagging. But something in her expression was odd- she looked _sad_. Storm called her name and gave her the widest of grins, but even when Chloe smiled back, her eyes still looked miserable.

Chloe gingerly jumped down from the fire escape, and looked into Storm's happy face, trying to find the right words.

"I've been so worried about you, Chloe!" Storm exclaimed, taking in the sight of his beautiful mate. She looked as though she'd gained a bit of weight- probably because she'd been cooped up for weeks- but she was every bit as perfect to him as he'd remembered. "You've not been really sick, have you?"

Chloe winced. There was no point in beating around the bush, it would only make things worse. "Storm," she said quietly, "Honey, I don't think we can do this anymore. I mean, we have to finish this now. We can't be together."

Storm's face fell as he felt as if he'd been dealt a physical wallop. "What? What are you talking about, Chloe? We're great together! We've gotten this far without anyone knowing, why should it be a problem now? I love you, you love me- what else matters?" His pitch rose as the fear began to hit him. Why on earth could she suddenly pretend that she didn't want the love they'd shared?

"Storm- listen!" Chloe demanded, despairing, hating to see the suffering in his face. "I'm going to have puppies," she said, her tone softening, "_your _puppies. I'm so sorry, Storm, we got it wrong."

Storm blinked, stunned. This had to be a joke… a bad joke.

Tears began to fill Chloe's eyes and she moved in to nuzzle her mate; she couldn't bear to leave him, but couldn't see another choice. What future would her pups have if it got out that they were the children of a stray? Storm was so much more than that, but Chloe knew that her humans would never understand. She felt physically sick as she remembered the look of shock on their faces. She wasn't meant to get pregnant, not like this. "Storm, I'm sorry. I can't see you anymore, I just _can't_."

"But, but…" Storm stammered, thunderstruck. How could this be happening? How could they have been so stupid, so naïve as to let this happen? "I can be there for you- you and our puppies. I'm gonna love them just as much as I love you, I'll take care of them."

Chloe shook her head. "You can't. There isn't a choice, we've got to put them first. You know what humans think of strays! They'll have better chances of finding homes if no one ever knows about you. I'm not a street dog, and I never will be- and I can't let my puppies be either."

Storm wanted to fight, to somehow convince Chloe that she had it wrong, but then she buried her face in his shoulder, crying. He tenderly nuzzled her, painfully aware that the comfort of her touch might very soon be just a memory to him. Chloe was hurting, and Storm couldn't bring himself to make it worse… but neither did he want to give up.

Her tears subsiding, Chloe took in the scent of her mate- her former mate, and desperately searched her heart for another way out. The hard truth was, her being with Storm in the first place had been a terrible mistake. Her emotions had run away with her, her heart ruling her head and leading her into a mess she couldn't have imagined. She was now a burden to her humans, and in doing so had failed them as their dog. It was time to wake from the dream that she'd fallen into. She pulled away from Storm, and looked him in the eye.

"I don't want to see you again, we need to move on. It was never going to last, you know that." Chloe spoke with a finality that surprised even herself.

Storm gave a heartfelt whine. "I love you, Chloe, don't you get that? I know you love your humans, but you love me too- I _know _you do! Please, please, Chloe. Don't do this, please don't do this." As he spoke, Storm could feel his own immaturity coming through, he was on the verge of begging but it didn't matter.

Chloe could hardly stand to see the misery in Storm's eyes. She knew that she'd have to walk away, the first step in taking care of the terrible mistake she'd made. But it hurt so much…

"I love you too, Stormie," Chloe had gently, her eyes filling with tears once more. "But this has to finish now. I have to put the puppies first. I'll take care of them, honey, I promise- but I can't see you again. Don't come back here, it's hard enough already."

For a long while they argued back and forth, Storm's desperation only serving to distress his pregnant lover who would dig her heels in further. She kept saying that she loved him, so why couldn't Chloe just forget about what her humans might think? Blinded by what she felt was best for the puppies, Chloe just couldn't be swayed. Admitting defeat, Storm slumped to the ground, feeling as though his heart was breaking. It really was over.

Chloe turned to leave, unable to look back at Storm as guilt overcame her. "Goodbye," she said quietly, "I'll always love you, Storm, it's just gotta be this way. You keep yourself safe out here."

Storm felt as if a heavy weight had been dropped on him. It really was over- Chloe couldn't even meet his eye. He watched as she walked away, finding himself frozen on the spot. "Chloe!" he called, but no response came. "_Chloe!_"


	4. Loneliness

His heart heavy, Storm took to aimlessly roaming the streets. He had little appetite, but managed to scrounge just enough to keep going. In the days since Chloe had delivered the crushing blow, he'd not gone near the apartment building, nor even the park where the two of them had played each morning; it was all too painful. Even as he couldn't bear to revisit the old places, Chloe was never out of his mind. Young and inexperienced as he was, Storm wasn't sure how long it would be before the puppies arrived- they could have been born already for all he knew. It hurt that he'd never have the opportunity to know them, but Chloe had been so certain that his presence would only cause the pups harm, and as their mother, Storm was respectful of her wishes. Respectful or not, Storm still longed to be with his family- and he found himself day-dreaming about the puppies that might have already entered the world. How many were there? Boys or girls? Did they look like him? Did they look like Chloe? Most importantly, he wondered if Chloe's beloved humans would care for the surprise puppies as he himself would have done. He hoped that Chloe would be happy; even if her choices hurt him, Storm could only wish her well.

Storm dragged his feet as he walked, paying little attention to where he was. He couldn't be lost- he had nowhere in particular to go to anyhow. He was somewhere around Queens, somewhere new to him. There was a time when he'd have been full of curiosity and excitement at the thought of being somewhere new, but now he just didn't have the heart for adventures. He felt something from deep within him, something unfamiliar, not just sadness. Storm was taken by surprise when he realised that he was lonely. He hadn't been lonely since he was a small puppy, hoping for a bit of attention and affection from his humans. Chloe had changed him, made him yearn for companionship. As he finally acknowledged what he was feeling, Storm found himself overwhelmed with a strong urge to retreat back to where he'd come from- that little yard far from the city, the place he'd grown up in, the place where his humans had last seen him. At least going home would put some much-needed purpose back in his life.

His mind set on a goal for the first time in weeks, Storm began his journey. His destination was just outside Margaretville and quite the trek away from the big city, but he'd come one way before, so he expected the return trip to be no problem. In the old familiarity of suburbia, he might finally be able to take his mind off the love he'd lost. Storm set a brisk pace, trotting steadily onwards. His stride was long and graceful, and seemingly tireless. He thought again and again about his puppies- going back through Manhattan it was hugely tempting to return to the apartment and call for Chloe just to give him one meeting, but Storm knew that walking away again would just be too painful. He sped up, not wanting to dwell too much on what might have been, and put his focus back on the destination.

The houses slowly grew further apart, the streets greener, the roads less cluttered with cars, and Storm knew he was coming away from the city. Breathing in the fresher air, he found a spring come to his step, and his troubles seemed to gradually wash away as hour upon hour passed him by. Feeling more content as he was taken further away from memories of Chloe, he relaxed his pace a little, and stopped for many hours at a time to explore new neighbourhoods, investigate new scents, and even enjoy brief encounters with strange dogs. Storm realised that it wasn't really companionship he wanted after all, it had just been Chloe. With this in mind, it seemed the best thing he could do as he grieved the bond they'd once shared was to take an extended vacation from city life- he might stop by at his old place, but sitting alone in a yard could never make him happy, not really.

Storm wandered into a grassy park, listening to the rhythmic squeaking of the playground swings as the chains moved with the breeze. It was dark now, and any children that might have been around had long since returned to their cosy homes. After turning in a circle several times, he lay down beneath a tree and sprawled out so he could look up to the sky. With the bright city lights now miles away, the expanse of the sky and the countless stars made quite a sight. Storm only wished he could share the peace and the beauty of this quiet spot with Chloe, he knew she'd have loved it. With a soft huff of sadness, he rolled back onto his belly. He'd heal from this, but he knew the longing he felt would not fade overnight.

* * *

The summer reached its end, and then autumn rolled on, all the while Storm continued his slow journey back to his old home. He had only the vaguest sense of the route to take and took every opportunity to take a detour along the way, so his movements appeared aimless. He kept going back to the right direction, and he knew that it was important that he made it home sooner or later. Finally, after weeks of travelling, familiar scents reached Storm's nose, and he knew he was getting close. His heart skipped a beat as he recognised the street sign- he'd made it home! But as he ran toward the old house that drew him in with all the memories it held, something else made him skid to a stop. It has the happy sound of puppies squealing.

Storm blinked, suddenly he was full of emotion and choked up. He couldn't help but move towards the source of the sound, his ears pricked with curiosity. He reared up, put his paws on the fence and peered over. Bounding around in the grass on the other side were five wriggling German shepherd puppies, each with a merrily wagging tail. Storm grinned at the sight.

From the other side of the yard, a sharp bark rang out. "Who are you?" snapped the protective mother.

Storm jumped in surprise, but didn't move from the fence. "Sorry, I was just curious. I have pups myself." The words felt strange; he'd never even seen his own pups. "You have a beautiful litter," he added politely.

The mother relaxed a little, sensing quickly that there was no threat- at least while the fence was in place. "Thank you," she said, her voice rather less forceful. They're my second, due to go to their new homes any day so I'm making the most of it."

"I bet that goodbye will be tough," said Storm as he watched the chubbiest pup gleefully chase his own tail.

"It's a wrench, yes," the mother said, "but I trust my masters. They wouldn't let them go to anyone who didn't love them almost as much as I do." She fondly licked one of the pups who had flopped against her large paws, a look of great affection on her face.

Though he said nothing, Storm couldn't help but wish that _he'd _had the chance to say goodbye to his pups, but he'd not even said 'hello'. From what he could tell by how the passing of the seasons mirrored that of his own puppyhood, the pups would not be so young now. More than likely, they'd all have been rehomed as pets, just as Chloe had wished. The thought gave Storm a heavy, compressing feeling in his chest. "Well," he said, "I'd better keep going. Sorry for intruding."

"I expect you want to get back to your babies," said the mother. "Perhaps I'll see you around some time."

It felt as though someone was tightening a heavy fist around Storm's chest. He silently nodded, and came back down onto all fours. Turning his head to look back down the street toward his old home, the desire to see the place had fizzled out. When he started the journey, he'd been certain that returning there would take him back to the way he felt when he decided to take his freedom. But now, there was no longing for adventure, he still just wished he could be with his mate and pups. There was only one place he should be, and that was by Chloe's side. It was time to turn around and go back. Chances are, it would be too late to meet the puppies, and it was true that Chloe didn't want him there, but he had to see her, even if it was just one more time. He had to know about his pups, who they were, and what had become of them all. Though he felt sick at the thought of feeling that terrible heartache all over again, he just had to know. With one last look back to his old home and his distant past as a pet- perhaps a pet that Chloe might not have been so ashamed of- Storm turned and began the long journey back to where he belonged.

* * *

In contrast to his long and winding trek up into the state, Storm's journey home was relatively fast, largely due to his determination to see Chloe as soon as possible. It took about a week, but it felt like no time at all before he came to the metal fence and refreshing smells of greenery that told him he'd come back to his old haunt of Central Park. He hadn't been back here since the worst day of his life, and it was hard not to let emotions get the better of him. But he wasn't going to run away again. It was only fair that Chloe give him just a little bit of time to hear about his pups- she owed him that much. The final leg of his journey, the road to Chloe's apartment block, was laboured, and every few steps Storm's nerves would fail him and he had to stop to talk himself back into the meeting.

Finally, the building was in sight. Storm could even make out the window that he knew marked Chloe's home. Gathering up all his courage, he barked and howled to announce his presence, but there was no response. Storm whined, unsure of what to do. Was she just ignoring him on purpose? Surely, she _knew _who it was calling? He called her name, yipped and barked, but still no sign of Chloe. Storm's frustration grew; it was more important to him than anything that he received confirmation that his pups were fine, but there was nothing he could do to get a response. After almost an hour, and many shouts from irritated human inhabitants, there was movement from Chloe's window at last. It was a human, apparently peering out to see what the noise was about, but it definitely wasn't one of Chloe's. _Something's wrong_, thought Storm.

The confused hound waited a little while longer, but then admitted defeat and turned his attention to finding something to soothe his hunger and rumbling stomach. Once he'd eaten, Storm made his way back to Central Park and the spot where he and Chloe used to meet each day. She'd surely be there in the evening, once dogs were allowed free reign of the park- and if not, perhaps one of the other dogs would be able to assure him that all was well with her.

When evening came and the park filled with free roaming dogs, Storm still could not find Chloe anywhere. It was odd; the masters always took her to the park at this time. Storm scanned the area for any familiar faces, and recognised a Dalmatian whom he knew enjoyed playing with Chloe.

"Hey!" Storm called out, running in the direction of the other dog. "Hey, you haven't seen Chloe round here? You know- the saluki. She would have had a litter of puppies a little while back."

The Dalmatian wagged his tail, pleased to recognise Storm, a dog he'd not seen in a very long time. "She's not been back here in weeks," he said. "Her humans moved away with her, I guess they went too far to use the park like they used to. It's a bit of a shame really, she gave a wild game of chase! I think the pups had mostly gone off to new homes when they left. They were cute little devils!"

Again, Storm felt his chest constrict. Chloe was gone? He stuttered thanks to the Dalmatian before taking off at a run, urgently charging back to the apartment. His one hope of seeing his beloved mate again seemed to be going up in smoke, and he couldn't stand it. When he looked up to Chloe's window, he felt a sense from deep within him that she wasn't there anymore. Storm let out a howl of misery.

When he finally pulled his attention away from the window, Storm was startled to see the thin figure of a dog at the corner of the street. For a few moments, his eyes met hers. The newcomer was small, obviously still a pup. Her eyes were bright and curious, and her face was framed by a mess of dark red-brown fur. She had Chloe's build and expression, but a certain wildness about her too.

Obviously taking no chances with a much larger stranger, the puppy fled, leaving a stunned Storm in her wake.

He almost couldn't believe what he'd just seen, but the striking resemblance left Storm certain; he'd just encountered one of his pups… and she was a street dog.


	5. Chloe

Storm became totally fixated on the scrawny pup, so sure that she was indeed his daughter. He returned several times each day to the apartment building, knowing that the place would hold significance for her and that she'd be likely to return. And return she did. Several days after their first brief encounter, the puppy wandered across Storm's path again, and once more she bolted before he could say a thing. Another few days later, there she was again. Storm realised very quickly that it would be quite a challenge to put the flighty youngster at ease. No doubt she'd encountered many hostile strangers on the streets, and was not to know that he was not one of them. Every time he saw the child she was that little bit skinnier, that little bit more worn, and Storm wished he could reach out to her without causing her to run at first glance.

And then one day, it all changed. Storm glanced around to see the pup standing behind him, obviously nervous, but standing firm, apparently curious. He gave her a small smile, then looked away, waiting for her to move first. When she continued to stand there, staring, he spoke. "Hiya, squirt, you hang around here a lot don't ya?"

The pup, still looking nervous, nodded her head. "I was born there, me and my brothers and sisters. They're all gone now though, Mom went away with her masters, and I was left behind. What about you? You're always hangin' around here too."

Storm's heart skipped, knowing for sure that this really was his daughter. But what was she doing left all alone? Chloe wouldn't have left her own child alone on the streets- the very thought was ridiculous! He looked up to the window, full of confusion. What had happened for Chloe to abandon one of the puppies that had been so precious to her? Still gazing up wistfully, he answered his daughter. "I used to know someone who lived there. A saluki, her name was Chloe. Most beautiful dog I ever saw," he said, before looking back to the pup, seeing once more the look of his beloved Chloe in her bright eyes. "You're her kid, right?"

"Yeah, yeah I am."

"Thought so, you look a lot like her. Right age too," said Storm, smiling nervously. How would she react to him? "I knew she was pregnant, but I never saw her after that, I wondered what happened to the pups. I should have done something… said something. When I saw you round here, I thought you must be Chloe's daughter- my daughter. I didn't want to scare you; so I kept my distance. I actually don't usually stick around these parts, I was just passin' by, but then I saw you and a lot of memories come floodin' back. It's good to meet you, kid."

The puppy's face broke into a broad smile. "I've been looking around here for my sister. I don't know what happened to her when the humans moved on, I thought she mighta been dumped on the streets. You seen another pup like me round here?"

"Sorry, little-un, I've not seen any other pups round these parts, certainly no sighthounds. So how'd you end up on the streets if you weren't ditched with your sister?"

The puppy looked down to her paws, the smile running from her face. "I ran away. I had friends out on the streets, I went home with them. I left Willow. I never even thought to ask if she'd want to come with me, and now she's gone."

Storm felt terrible for the puppy. None of this should have happened- he should have been there to make sure no child of his was left unwanted, to protect them. His mouth felt dry as he was overwhelmed with shame. His poor daughter had been shouldering a burden that was not rightly hers. "I'm sorry to hear that, kid. You know, it's not your fault. These things happen- besides, you're just a pup, it's not your job to look after no one but yourself. That was your mother's job," he paused, "and it was my job. I didn't think your mother would want me round you guys, but that's no excuse for not trying."

"Maybe we could look for Willow together?" the pup asked hopefully, "Even if she's not out there, at least we won't be alone. I hate being alone."

Storm couldn't help but grin, this was more than he dared wish for after all this time. He didn't deserve it, but he might just have a second chance with this little one. "You're welcome to tag along with me. Usually I prefer goin' solo, but I don't usually have my own daughter to keep me company. I think you and I have some lost time to make up."

* * *

The two dogs travelled together, tails wagging, roaming the city streets in the cold winter air. Storm learned that this little slip of a pup went by the name of Rita, and that she was the sixth of a litter of seven. She had an interesting background; having run away to join a pair of street dog friends she'd made, leaving behind the younger Willow. After several weeks, the guilt-ridden pup had run away from the security of her playmates in order to try and find her sister. Storm had to admire the courage that she obviously possessed, and found himself wishing once more that he'd been there for her when things got tough. Rita had grown taller since Storm had first glimpsed her, but had also become ribby and sickly in appearance. She had the remnants of a large wound above her tail, and a tired look in her eyes. Despite all this, she looked genuinely happy, as though Storm's company had brought a new light into her life. Storm immediately felt a strong protectiveness towards her. Rita was his, and he would love her with everything he had.

"So, tell me about your brothers and sisters," prompted Storm, breaking a long spell of quiet- he never had been a talkative one. "Most of them found homes, right?"

Rita looked at her feet miserably once more. "Yeah, it was just Willow and me left. The rest of them went to homes," she said. "Casey was the first one to be born and the last one to go. Honestly, I never liked her much, she was always kinda mean. Archer, Lola and Misty thought she was some sort of princess or something, they worshipped her, and left me and Willie out. They were all right though, we were just never that close. Charlie was good fun, I liked him a lot. Archer went to a home first- he was always really cuddly with humans, then Lola and Misty went together, then Charlie."

"I bet you miss them, hey?" Storm asked. His imagination was going into overdrive- his mind swirling with images of what the other six pups might have looked like. Knowing their names, they seemed much more real to him now, not just a vague notion. He could still barely believe that he was actually talking to one of his and Chloe's children.

"I miss them a lot," said Rita with a heavy sigh. "Even though we fought a lot, I still wish I could see them all again- even Casey. But I miss Willow most of all." She felt tears sting her eyes as the feeling of shame rose up in her once more. "I loved her so much. She didn't want much to do with me near the end, but I always loved her. You'd love her too, she's a sweet kid."

Storm gently nuzzled his daughter. "Rita, you know there's next to no chance that we'll ever find her out her, right? I know it's tough, but you can't get your hopes up. You shouldn't have the burden on your shoulders anyhow, it belongs on mine."

Rita nuzzled back and sniffed. "I know that really. But it's really hard."

"It's gonna be hard, squirt, but I'm here for you now."

The words warmed Rita's heart. She had felt alone for so long, and it had taken a heavy toll on her both physically and emotionally. In Storm she felt a new security, a trust that she couldn't explain. She missed her Willow, and she missed her street dog friends, Dodger and Einstein, but Rita found herself imagining a new life ahead of her with her father. For the first time in a long time, she had hope.

* * *

That evening, Storm took Rita back to his familiar haunt, Central Park; the place where he'd first met her mother. He could feel Rita's relief to be surrounded by nature for a change, and he watched in contentment as she merrily danced through a grassy stretch. She bounded and leaped, she tumbled and somersaulted in the grass, she tripped over her gangly legs. Under the protection of her father, Rita could just be a puppy for a change, unencumbered by the need to be constantly on guard. Storm smiled as he watched her. She'd been dealt a rough hand in life, but her spirit was obvious. Rita was clearly a survivor, and Storm was already proud of her.

"Are you hungry, Dad?" Rita asked cheerily as she stopped to inspect a discarded corndog.

Storm's ears pricked. "Good find, kid," he said, "You have it all though. We've gotta put some meat on your bones."

Suddenly Rita looked very embarrassed. "I don't usually struggle so much. I'm actually really good at stealing stuff- Dodger taught me all the tricks. I've just been having some bad luck recently. Some dumb human gave me a thumping when he caught me in the act, and it made me more nervous. I'll come good again though," she said, "I'm not gonna get beaten by this stupid winter."

"Don't worry about it, you're doing fine. It's not easy having to make a living on your own. You'll be back to your old self in no time." Storm was intrigued by what he'd heard about Rita's life with her old friends. Most street dogs were cautious of humans, avoiding them wherever possible, but it seemed that she'd been pushing the boundaries and using the city-goers to her advantage. He was interested indeed to see her in action sometime… perhaps there were things he could learn from this little pup.

As the sky began to darken, taking with it the little warmth the sun provided, Storm set about finding a cosy place for the two of them to settle for the night. Rita was already shivering by the time he'd picked out a nice spot. Under the shelter of a tree, a big root caught his eye. Storm dug out- helped out by his daughter- the earth beneath the root and the base of the trunk, forming a little shelter. Satisfied with his creation, he crouched and crawled inside. Rita followed, drawn in by the warmth of her father's lean body. She flopped down on top of him, and snuggled in to his side. After a little bit of squirming and shifting, the two dogs lay comfortably side by side, their heads poking out and resting against the cold earth. The feeling of having someone pressed up against him to sleep was foreign to Storm- something he'd not experienced since he was with his littermates- but it made him happy. He closed his eyes.

"Dad?" Rita whispered.

Storm opened his eyes a little. "Yes, squirt?"

"Do you think my mom would be mad at me? She never wanted me to be a street dog."

Even in the dark, Storm could see the earnest look on his daughter's face. "Littl'un, your mom would be proud of you. You've been so brave," he said. "You kids were everything to her; she only ever wanted to protect you."

"I miss her," said Rita sadly. "I've not really said it; Dodger always hated it when I talked about my family to him, he said I should forget about the past. But I don't want to forget my mom- I wish I could see her again." It had been such a long time since Rita had felt the love of a parent, and being close to Storm brought home the weight of what she'd lost. She'd give just about anything to be able to feel the loving embrace of her mother just one more time, to be able to cry out all her hurt into her mother's shoulder. Just maybe, her newfound bond with Storm might fill the gaping hole that had formed in Rita's life.

Storm whined sympathetically and tenderly licked Rita's cheek. "I miss her too," he murmured, his voice cracking with emotion. He knew that his precious, scrawny child had been left with the same emptiness that he'd been suffering so long. But now, at least they had one another. "If I knew where she was I…" he faltered, feeling tears welling in his eyes. "I'd take you to her if I knew how. I wish we could all be together." Storm moved his head so his cheek was by Rita's, and he closed his eyes. "But I'm here for you now; it's the best I can do. It's you and me now, Miss Rita."

Rita sniffed, but kept from crying. "You can tell me," she said sleepily, "about when you and Mom were friends, before she had us puppies. She never really said much, but I'd like to hear stories." She yawned.

"I will," said Storm, before echoing the pup's yawn. "I can show you all our favourite places to play too- this part of the park is actually where we first met. And you can show me some of your favourite places, and maybe even teach me that mad car-hopping thing you do."

Rita smiled a little, and closed her eyes, soothed by the contact with her father. The warmth he gave her allowed her to fall asleep more easily than she had in weeks, and soon she'd slipped into a deep slumber.

"Sweet dreams," Storm whispered. His heart ached with love for the gift that Chloe had left him. Rita was theirs, _his_, and now she was his whole world. He smiled as Rita twitched in her sleep, and then lay still, her face relaxed and content. The past couldn't be changed, but they'd found one another now, and their future was together. As he listened to the heavy breathing of his sleeping daughter, he knew that all his pain and suffering had not been in vain, for it had brought something so special into the world. Storm carefully lifted his head and gave Rita a soft kiss on her forehead and quietly spoke. "I love you, my child."


	6. Reunited

**Sisters Reunited**

It had been fifteen long days since she'd gotten loose. The initial ecstasy that accompanied her freedom had long since vanished, and the hound was now aching and tired. Willow had experienced hunger before- that human had never cared to provide for her adequately, but this was different, exacerbated by the exhaustion from her travels. The thin, scruffy bitch collapsed on the ground. She'd lived in New York City all her life, but between the apartment of her puppyhood and the filthy yard in which she'd been chained for the past three years, she'd barely seen any of it. One could not exactly say that she was lost, Willow had nowhere in particular to go to anyway, but she was still struggling to get her bearings in the enormous, bustling city. There was nowhere peaceful. Her experiences had led Willow to fear and hate humans; she'd made her mind up never to be so naïve as to put her trust in one again- but here she found she could hardly get away from them, and the last time she attempted to move into less inhabited areas she'd gotten into trouble with canines of a far more threatening nature. Willow had not actually been on her own for the whole fifteen days, initially her companion, a Pit Bull mix, had travelled with her only to have been separated in the run in with that gang of dogs. The nervous and flighty Willow had bolted at the first sign of trouble, and was fast enough to get away without much difficulty, but Flash wasn't the sort for running from trouble, and Willow was certain that she'd have stood her ground. Willow shuddered, hoping that her friend had managed to get away safely. She felt a terrible shame in the knowledge that she'd fled rather than stand by the only person she could rely on. It had happened so quickly, there'd been no time to keep track of where Flash had gone. Willow whined as hunger lurched painfully in her stomach. There was no time to mope- she had to find something to eat, and fast.

The sun was beginning to set and Willow began to head towards the docks, away from the glaring lights and unfriendly humans that lined the streets. She'd managed to scrounge a few pitiful scraps which at least took the edge off her aching hunger, and was now desperate to find somewhere she could rest comfortably. As she came across a seemingly deserted warehouse, Willow was overcome by the strong scent of dog. She raised her hackles as she realised that she was not alone.

"Hiya hot stuff," came a smug voice from behind her.

Willow spun around, shaken. A mutt was standing there, leaning against a wooden crate, smirking. There was obviously a lot of terrier in him; he had rough, wiry fur in brown and grey patches against the white. Willow lifted her lip and uttered a low, rumbling growl. Her stomach had dropped at the sound of his voice, terrified of getting into another incident with savage street dogs. The arrogance in his voice, posture, expression put her on guard. She could not trust this stranger.

"Stay back," she growled, uncomfortably aware that she was backed against a wall with very limited means of escape. The stranger had caught her off guard, surprised and unprotected. Willow was, at least, larger than the terrier, which hopefully would be enough to put him off making an attack… unless there were others nearby, allies of his. Trying her very best to look harder than she really was, Willow, raised her lip in a snarl.

"Woah, woah, I'm not about to hurt a beautiful woman like you," he winked, still smug. "Name's Dodger. You on your way to Murphy's, darlin'?"

Willow noticed the strange way he stared at her, almost as if there were some recognition there.

"I- I'm not going anywhere." She glanced around, trying to work out the easiest escape route if the strange mutt came closer. "What is this 'Murphy's'?"

"You're new around here, right? I'll show you 'round."

Somehow there was even smugness in his walk. If she were not still so frightened, Willow might have been amused by the gall of this dog. She was just about to make a dash when she was stopped in her tracks by the voice of an approaching newcomer.

"Dodgie-baby!" A female carried on towards them. "Come on, we gotta get back, Fagin's gonna be missing us." She was around Willow's height, a mess of red-brown fur framing her face. Though thin and in obvious need of a proper grooming- though no more so than Willow was herself, the bitch looked relatively good health, and had a cool confidence about newcomer barely glanced at Willow, but Willow stared at her, scarcely able to believe what she was seeing.

Then Willow remembered. _Dodger_. She'd heard that name before- suddenly it all made sense. "Rita?" she breathed.

Caught off guard by the stranger's recognition, Rita looked at her properly for the first time. Her eyes widened as she saw her younger sister standing there- and there was no doubt that it was her, Rita would recognise that face, those soft eyes, anywhere. Stunned, she nodded.

"Will-" she shook her head, wondering how this was even possible. "Willow, how, how are you… how are you here?" Getting over the initial surprise, Rita's eyes lit up in excitement and her tail began to wag.

"What, this is your sister? That Willow?" Dodger asked, although he needed only to look at them to tell they were related.

Willow was filled with relief at the sight of a familiar face, though she could not bring herself to lower her guard completely. Three years had passed, she could not honestly say that she really knew Rita anymore. Even when they'd last seen each other they'd not been on great terms, and Willow still felt resentment towards her sister for all that had happened when they were pups. For all Willow knew, Rita could be no better than the lowlifes she'd encountered earlier.

"I got out a couple weeks ago, I've been wandering the streets since then," said Willow. "I can't believe you survived this long, it's a nightmare out here."

"So, you found a home?" Rita was keen to hear what had happened to her younger sister. She'd feared for her a great deal since she'd seen her last.

"I don't think you could call it a home." Willow grimaced. "But then, humans are scum, what would you expect? Anyhow, I don't want to talk about it. I just want to find somewhere to sleep where I can actually get some peace." She looked questioningly at Rita, desperately hoping for some help.

"You're not gonna want to come home with us then, we've got a human." Rita sighed.

"A human? Aren't you street dogs?" Willow was surprised, and her heart dropped as she realised she couldn't take refuge in Rita's home.

"He's a street human," said Dodger. "He's harmless, and he'll be happy to provide you with biscuits and a roof over your head, but yeah, still human."

Rita turned to Dodger. "Dodge, do you wanna head home? I'll stay and sort Willow out."

"Sure," Dodger replied, and turned to head off. "I'll see ya later then."

Willow watched after him as he left. "Is your mutt always this full of himself?"

Rita cracked up laughing. "You have no idea. Honestly, he's a good guy; he's the smartest dog I know- but yeah, he's got a big ego on him."

"Do women actually get taken in by that ridiculous flirting?"

"All the time, and obviously that only makes him worse." Rita rolled her eyes.

Willow managed to crack a half smile.

"If you don't want to be around any humans, you're probably best stopping at Murphy's place. You see that warehouse over there? Loads of dogs go there to sleep or just to hang out. It's real friendly, dogs just come and go and there are never any issues. No humans either. Murphy likes them about as much as you do." Rita said, and started towards the building with Willow close behind her. She noticed the nervousness in Willow's face. "If you want to be left alone, they'll leave you be. But you'll be safer in there than out here by yourself."

Willow nodded, still unsure, but really she could not see a better option. As they reached the entrance, her hackles raised defensively.

A large, shaggy grey-brown dog greeted them at the doorway.

"Hi, Murphy, Willow here is in need of a safe place to rest." She motioned towards her sister with a shake of her head. "If you could help her find somewhere quiet, without too many other dogs-"

"No problem, Rita." Murphy said in a gruff voice, and then turned to Willow who was crouching submissively. "You're not wanting to take your chances with their human I take it?" he scoffed. "A wise choice, most of us round here disassociate ourselves with humans for good reason. Don't worry, I'll find you a quiet place."

Nervously, Willow followed Murphy in, past several small parties of dogs who were animatedly chattering amongst themselves.

"I'll be back round here tomorrow. See ya, Willow!" Rita called out, and went on her way. Willow had looked very unsure, but Rita knew that the dogs in charge of the warehouse would make sure she was well taken care of, at very least until they could work out what to do.

Murphy led a still hunched and submissive Willow to a quiet corner, away from the hustle and bustle of the other residents. The skinny hound lay down onto a pile of raggedly cushions.

"Thank you." She was still not entirely sure about this Murphy character, but she was grateful for the comfortable place to bed down; it was more than she could have hoped for just a few hours ago and a colossal improvement over the muddy yard from which she'd come. After Murphy left, she laid her head down and closed her eyes. She tried not to concentrate on the strong smell of strange dogs that hung in the air. Willow was stunned by the turn of events- she'd hardly given a second thought to Rita since she ran away, the chances of finding her in a city of this size were so low it was crazy, but still there she was. Willow supposed that Rita seemed nice enough, not that she had much to go on. Still, this was the same person who'd left Willow to be thrown in the pound with not so much as a second thought, just so she could run off with that stupid, smug little mutt. Willow could not lie awake thinking for long, exhaustion quickly overcame her and within two minutes she was fast asleep.

Rita wandered home rather aimlessly, trying to wrap her head around what had just taken place. It almost felt as though it must be a dream, it just didn't seem that it was possible for this to happen, not after all the time that had passed. She'd assumed Willow to be dead- with no home to go to, the timid pup would have been either dumped on the streets or sent to the pound three years ago. It was an indescribable relief to know that Willow was safe; Rita had been plagued with guilt after realising that she could have prevented all that had she not been so caught up in her own little world with Dodger, but this meant that she'd have to actually confront it at some point. Could Willow really forgive after all she'd been through because of Rita? There was no choice but to try make things right- and Rita so wanted back the bond she'd once shared with the beloved little sister she'd once snuggled up to each night and protected from bullying siblings. The tantalising thought distracted Rita from what should have been a quick journey home, but suddenly she that the skies were now getting very dark. The draw to be back with the gang in the rickety, yet homely old barge kicked in, and she sped up, slipping through the shadows that hung around the dockyards.

_Three-month-old Willow lay on her belly, staring into space. The humans had been packing their countless belongings away into boxes for several days, and by now only the essentials remained out. The pup felt ill, knowing that she would not be among the 'essentials' that would make the trip to the new place. It must be coming, it must be soon. Her mother had been crying all morning, and had spent a great deal of time cuddling her youngest daughter, trying hopelessly to provide comfort as she prepared to face the worst. Rita had already left, so early in the morning that Willow didn't even see her. It wasn't an unusual occurrence. Willow had seen less and less of her remaining littermate in recent weeks; Rita spent most days off gallivanting on the streets, and the pair barely spoke when they were together. It was a change to the close bond they'd once shared. Rita had once been Willow's protector, the toughest pup in the litter taking care of the most vulnerable, but they drifted apart. No longer needed, Rita found comfort elsewhere. Lost in her thoughts as she lay there, Willow wondered if it was her own fault that she'd lost her friend and sister. Still, there was no reason for Rita to be so cold, sneaking out early so she wouldn't have to see her each morning. _

_Willow was too distracted to notice the footsteps coming up behind her, and she was taken by surprise as a pair of strong arms scooped her up and carried her to the door. The pup realised with a horrifying jolt that this was it. It was all over. She squirmed and whimpered helplessly. "Mom! Mommy!"_

_The saluki rushed into the room, her hackles raised and barking angrily. She could not bring herself to physically harm her human, but by no means would she stand quietly and let him take her baby to her death. _

"_Grab hold of Chloe, will you?" the man shouted, and within moments his partner was shoving the saluki out of the room._

"_Willow! No- Willow!" Chloe cried out, but the man was already closing the door, and taking her precious child with him. _

_Willow was shaking, her breathing fast and shallow. She was terrified, not knowing what was to come, but sure she was in big trouble. She closed her eyes and allowed the man to place her on the back seat of the car. They drove off, and Willow knew that she had lost forever her mother, her sister, and the only home she had ever known._

_They pulled up at a grey-walled building. The looming walls gave the pup a bad feeling, as did the faint sounds of distressed dogs that came from within. This was the pound. Willow felt tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted her mother, just to hold her, to tell her everything would be OK. She was walked to a cage, and went in without a struggle. What would struggling do anyway? She flinched as the metal door clanged shut behind her, and looked up pleadingly at the master for one last time. It was all for nought. Finally, after weeks of dreading it, she was alone in the pound. Willow had no future._

Memories of her distant past plagued Willow through the night, stirred up by the appearance of her sister. She'd tossed and turned, but despite the weariness she felt all over, it took her several hours before she could switch her troubled thoughts off enough to drift to sleep. It was the middle of the day by the time she awoke. The quiet space in the corner of the dark room felt secure and comforting, and she was not keen to get up and explore, even by late afternoon. Rita had said that she'd be round sometime, but Willow couldn't know how long she'd be waiting around for her. She struggled to get her head around her feelings towards her sister, she'd built up a resentment towards Rita in the years she'd been chained in that yard, but right now she was the only person to turn to. Her stomach growled painfully and she whined in hunger. She wondered how long she could carry on living off tiny scraps- and even they had been few and far between. After several hours, Willow got to her feet and cautiously walked through to the main room where dogs were gathered, finally tired of waiting. She avoided eye contact with the many strangers as she passed through, with just a nod of acknowledgement to the shaggy mutt, Murphy, who apparently ran the place.

"You sleep okay, Willow?" Murphy barked after her.

Willow nodded again, turning back to the mutt. "Fine, thank you. I appreciate your hospitality." She smiled politely, but was still not completely sure of him. It occurred to Willow that it would take rather a lot for her to be completely sure of anyone. "Has Rita been by?"

"Sorry, no. Give her some time, I expect she's tied up working for her human." Murphy sighed, "Why though, is beyond me. She'll be round eventually, just hang around here."

Willow paced around the warehouse for some time more, feeling uncomfortable as some of the strange dogs tried to greet her. Each time she'd flinch away, scared. Finally she spotted Rita approaching, and trotted over, relieved to have that bit of familiarity to cling to.

"Hey Willie, you doin' okay?" Rita greeted her sister cheerfully, covering up the anxiety she felt over the situation.

It was bizarre to hear herself called that after so much time, in an instant Willow was taken back to her puppyhood. The feeling was bittersweet, and complimented her conflicted emotions towards Rita.

Willow nodded, "It's a roof over my head, I can't really complain." Admittedly it was better than huddling up in some cold alleyway, but she wondered if this was as good as it would ever get for her, and that was painful.

Rita looked at her sister, sadness bubbling up inside her. Years ago she'd have given anything to have found Willow, to take her back to live with Fagin, where she would be safe and loved. It was simply too late for that now, Willow was damaged and mistrustful. For a little while the two of them walked in silence, heading out into the streets. Neither knew quite what to say to the other, unsure of how their rekindled relationship would play out if they tried to make contact. Finally, Rita spoke, knowing that Willow had to be made to understand the situation that she was in, "Look Willow, things have been pretty hard back home recently, we're under a lot of pressure right now. I'll do all I can to help you, but my family needs me too; things are gettin' pretty desperate."

Her words struck a nerve in Willow, "Your family? _I'm _your family! You are all that I have right now, but you'd still put some lowlife street dog before me? You know what, Rita, you disgust me." It all came out too quickly, fuelled by exhaustion and the ache of the years she'd suffered, and in an instant she realised that her best chance for a brighter future had been blown.

Rita's expression hardened in fury. She'd thought of Willow as the same sweet, shy little dog that she'd been as a pup, but in that moment it dawned on her that she was actually dealing with someone very different. "You want to look in the mirror, honey; lowlife street dog is what you are now. I've not seen you in three years and you expect me to just drop everyone who's actually been there for me all this time? I'm tellin' you now, I don't owe you nothin'. If you want my help, you got it, but I will not let my _real _family down just to stroke your ego."

Willow glared at Rita, her head lowered. She didn't see any option other than to accept whatever help Rita could offer. The old wounds from her puppyhood had been reopened as Willow came to understand that nothing had changed, Rita's loyalty was with Dodger and everything else could just fall to pieces. Like she had. An anger rose up inside her and she felt a strong urge to lash out, to physically hurt the person who had, for all intents and purposes, destroyed the young Willow's life through her self-centredness. Willow bared her teeth.

By now Rita's hackles were up and she stared her sister down. This wasn't going at all how she'd hoped it would. "You really want to try it, sis? I'll fight you if it makes you feel better, but I can guarantee that you will come off worse."

Willow wasn't stupid. Rita had always been much tougher than she was, and since then she'd spent years on the streets fighting to survive; as much as Willow wanted to inflict just an inkling of the pain she'd endured, she knew it would simply not be happening. She growled but relaxed her stance. "What help can you give me? I will never have a home with you- nor that arrogant mutt."

Rita shook her head. "I can help you find food, show you all the best places to look and all that, but I can't stay with you. I'm sorry Will, I just can't."

It was a crushing blow to Willow as she had to accept that her aching loneliness would be going nowhere. As quickly as it had come, the rage had dissipated, overshadowed by a terrible sadness. Willow found her eyes welling up, the storm of emotions threatening to get the better of her. It was all too much. She looked away defiantly.

Rita instantly regretted losing her temper; it wasn't as if it was Willow's fault she ended up like this. She took a deep breath and allowed herself to regain her cool. "I've got work to do, and I've really got to put that first. Hopefully things will get better soon, but for now that's just the way it's gotta be. Anyway, I want you to come along with me tomorrow. You don't have to go near Dodger, or my human, or anyone else if you don't want to. I'll show you all you need to know to get by, and we can keep doing it every day until you find your feet."

Finally, Willow nodded. Any help to find food could not be turned down, even if the offer came from someone she could barely stand to look at. It seemed Willow was just going to have to learn to deal with the lonely nights… as much as she near despised Rita, there was still that long-held desire the snuggle beside her, just as they'd always done so long ago.

"Come on, I'll get you something to eat." Rita smiled gently, hoping she could do something to repair their broken relationship. She set off, glancing behind to encourage Willow to follow. There was no doubt about it, this wasn't going to be easy for either of them.


	7. Moving Forward

Once again, it was late by the time Rita got home. Despite Willow's apparent dislike for her, Rita was still all that her sister had and it was hard to leave with the vulnerable dog urging her to stay. Willow just wouldn't give up, but neither would she trust Rita enough to join her as she went back to the barge. It was a wrench to walk away, but Rita reminded herself that Willow wasn't the only person who needed her, and by no means would she let her family down. She quietly came down the stairs; it seemed everyone was asleep.

"Been with your baby sis all this time?" Dodger asked with a yawn. He had not yet gone into a deep sleep and was easily woken by the sound of Rita on the stairs.

Rita sat down beside Dodger's bed, pleased to have some friendlier company. She sighed heavily as she started, "Yeah, it's been pretty rough. She's made it clear that she hates me, but still she wants me with her all the time. I'm not sure if she's just really lonely or if she's tryin' to punish me."

"Weird girl," he said, "I didn't get the impression she was much keen on me either. Must be somethin' wrong with her."

"Oh, she definitely doesn't think much of you."

"Guess I'll have to try harder to win her over," Dodger grinned slyly.

"Don't you even think about it! The last thing I need is you winding her up. She's off limits. There must be some women left in the city for you to come on to who aren't my sister." Rita growled, not prepared to take any of Dodger's nonsense.

Dodger readjusted himself, trying to get comfortable. "S'ppose it's not worth my trouble anyhow. Sure, she's easy on the eyes, but if I'm into that sort of thing I've got you right here. Kinda similar looking but with a sense of humour."

Rita shook her head and made to go to bed. It was clear that Dodger wasn't going to be much help.

"Hey, Rita," he called after her, and nipped at her tail, "You are okay, right?"

She turned around, noticing a concerned look on his face. "I'm fine. Or I will be. I just thought I'd gotten over all this, moved on." She lay down and pulled her blanket haphazardly over herself.

"You don't think Storm would want to help? Take the pressure off a bit." Dodger suggested. Rita's father had spent a great deal of time with her when she was younger, and still maintained occasional friendly contact. It seemed a fair assumption that he would be equally interested in another of his daughters.

Rita shook her head. "I'm sure he would, but I've not seen him in months. He could be anywhere. And I wouldn't bet on Willow being receptive either." She yawned, which brought on Dodger doing the same.

Dodger laid his head down on a cushion, ready to call it a night. "Don't let her get to you, okay?" he said sleepily.

"Thanks, honey. I'll try."

* * *

_Willow huddled in the back of her cage, shaking with fear. There were dogs either side of her, scratching at their cage doors, whining, howling. The voices of countless strangers as they pleaded for their freedom crashed over her, and it was all too much. She cried, and cried, until she could barely squeeze out another tear. Her worst nightmare had come true, and all she could do was to wait to be given the needle that would finally liberate her from her heartache._

_For several days she did very little, too frightened to try and interact with any of the other dogs, too glum to eat more than a few bites of food each day. From what she had overheard, many of the dogs held up hope of being adopted. Willow knew better than to put faith in such a dream; the whole reason she was in that awful place was that no one wanted to take her home. She just lay there and tried to escape in her thoughts. She thought of her mother- the loving presence that had surrounded her from the very beginning, trying to protect her from the inevitable. Her mother had at least tried to stop her from being taken away. It should have been more, though. Even maternal love was apparently not enough to bring Chloe to betray her human masters. Never would she risk being disposed of herself, even if it meant her own pup would be met with that fate. Willow thought of Rita. She felt a cold resentment as she imagined her sister living a carefree life with her street dog friends. Rita had never invited her to join them, to have a chance of a future, even if it did mean falling in with the wrong crowd. It had to be better than this. _

_A couple stood by her cage door, talking animatedly to one another. Willow tried to block out the chatter; she had enough to wallow in without being the source of amusement for humans. But then they opened the door. Willow's head shot up as the thought she'd not allowed in came rushing to her. Could she really get adopted? Was that what these people wanted? The woman crouched down and held out her hand. Willow was unsure of the situation, but approached all the same, sniffing at the woman's hand. Both the humans were smiling. Willow felt her heart leap… this looked promising. She could scarcely believe it._

"_Do you think she's the one?" the man asked. _

"_She's the one," came the reply._

Thinking back to her puppyhood was painful for Willow, but as she was still loathe to interact with other dogs in the hangout, there was little else to do to pass the time. If only her old friend, Flash, were here; really she was the only true friend that Willow ever had. But poor old Flash had almost certainly been torn apart by those savage dogs. The thought discouraged the lonely hound further from making contact with the street dogs that surrounded her. Considering how much she'd once longed to leave her old yard, Willow was disappointed that the grass really did not seem to be greener on the other side at all. She was still hungry, she'd lost her only friend, and was now relying on someone she resented. She was beginning to think that maybe she shouldn't have left at all. It was morning, and Willow was expecting Rita to be around to see her anytime. Her sister may not have been her first choice for an ally, but at least she knew what she was doing. Willow left the warehouse to get some fresh air before she met up with Rita.

Rita swallowed her nerves as she approached the old warehouse. Her previous encounter with her sister had not exactly gone smoothly, and she was hoping that things would go better. It was still hard to believe that Willow was even there at all, and it was a lot for Rita to get her head around after believing her to be dead for so long. She spotted Willow a short distance away and called out to her. "Morning, Will! You ready to get goin'?"

Willow smiled falsely. If Rita was at least trying to help, then she would try and keep things friendly. "I'm ready. The sooner I can learn to take care of myself properly, the better."

It had already been established the previous day that Willow would be keeping as much of a distance between herself and humans as was possible, which could be a challenge in a city teeming with people. Rita took Willow around quiet alleys, showing her the best routes to take and the most reliable places to find food. She didn't even bother trying to show her sister the fine art of pick pocketing, Willow had already made her views on thievery quite clear when she saw what Rita's 'work' involved. Going through trash to look for scraps would be Willow's best bet. The sky was an ominous grey, and Rita was eager to feed Willow up at least a little bit before the rain came. Unfortunately, Willow was every bit as uncooperative as she'd been the day before.

"All right, how about I show you how to catch rats? You should be able to find plenty of them, and not have to get so close to humans." Rita suggested, after they'd been through yet another disappointing bag of rubbish. If Willow was kept occupied, it would free her up to try and find some good loot for Fagin- the situation back home was only getting worse, and Rita knew that she needed to find a way to help out _and _take care of her sister. The timing of Willow's appearance certainly hadn't been ideal.

"I caught a few rats that wandered into the old yard," Willow said proudly, "You show me where to look and I'll get hunting."

"With enough practice, you'll probably be able to take out birds as well. Those fat pigeons don't move so fast, should be easy enough," Rita grinned, feeling that she'd hit the solution to her sister's food problem. "As for finding them; if you're quiet enough, you can find them in just about every alley. They like the damp, so you'll find plenty round the docks. An easy meal if you're not wanting to stray too far from the warehouse. If you stick around these parts for a while, I'll come back for you a while later, make sure you're doing all right."

"What? So you're free to indulge in your favourite criminal pastime?" Willow sneered. She felt a couple of drops of rain on her muzzle.

Rita didn't rise to her sister's taunt. She was proud, but she wouldn't allow herself to be drawn into another argument. "Unfortunately, Fagin won't eat rats, so I'm just gonna have to help him out the way I'm good at. If you don't have any more complaints, I'll leave you to it."

Willow turned to go down the nearest alleyway, taking care with each footstep. She'd not considered rats as a source of food until that point; she'd seen surprisingly few of them since getting loose, and when she had, she'd been more concerned with making sure she got to any scraps of food before they did. She felt silly now, it wasn't as if she'd never caught a rat before. It was really raining now. Willow ignored the steady fall of raindrops and focused on a scratching behind a trashcan. She approached quietly, listening intently. The rat hadn't heard her, probably her footsteps were drowned out by the rain against the metal bin. This was too easy. With one quick movement, she knocked the bin aside and took the rodent in her jaws. It was over before the poor rat knew what had hit it.

A short way away, Rita was not enjoying the same luck. The rain was getting heavier, and the humans who had not ducked indoors somewhere for cover were hurrying around, their possessions held close for protection from the wet. It was hardly ideal conditions for stealing. After a while, she grew frustrated and gave up. There was nothing for it but to go back to searching through trash, which never brought quite the same results. Dripping wet, Rita ran back the way she'd come, hoping to find Willow. It took only a few minutes to run into her, the scruffy hound was huddled under the edge of a roof, a partly eaten rat at her feet.

"Bad day for stealing?" Willow smirked. She felt a great satisfaction in knowing she'd achieved more than her sister, it showed just how pointless an exercise it was to put all your energy into helping out some stupid human.

Rita shook herself as she reached the slightly drier area in which Willow was waiting. "Just gonna have to wait until this clears up a bit." She avoided eye contact with her sister, who was obviously still wanting to get a rise out of her, and stared out into the rain. Bad weather or not, she'd have to find _something _to bring back. With six mouths to feed, any rough patches they went through were felt by all. Fagin would always buy dog food before he'd feed himself, and he was getting into a poor state as a result. Rita couldn't allow herself to let him down. Willow might mock, but what did she know? She didn't understand how it felt to have the ones she cared about depending on her, all she did was demand more for herself. Rita shivered, the wet getting to her.

"I hate the rain," Willow said as she joined Rita in looking out at the downpour, "There was hardly any shelter in the old yard. Flash and me used to get soaked."

"I'm sorry you lost your friend, you must really miss her." Rita murmured. Flash had only been mentioned very briefly, it seemed something that Willow didn't enjoy talking about. It was small wonder Willow seemed desperate for love now, even if it was only coming from the person she'd least like to have to take it from. Rita felt a great pity for her sister rise up in her. Her poor little Willow…

Willow looked down, determined not to cry. "She was all I had. We were so happy to escape, but now I'm wondering if we should've just stayed put. It was terrible back there, you wouldn't believe it," she shook her head, "But we had each other. Now, it's just me. Just me and a world I'm not made for."

"I know it's hard, really I do. The learning curve's gonna be a steep one, it always is. But if you give it some time things won't look so bad. It's all up to you now- you've got most of your life ahead of you, and you've got the freedom to do what you want with it. I'll help you as much as I can, but unfortunately the really tough part is down to you." Rita wanted to snuggle close to her little sister, to comfort her. The protective feelings she'd felt for Willow when they were little were still there, finally rekindled after all this time. But every time she made to move closer, Willow would flinch and lean away.

Willow wondered what kind of a future she could possibly have. A part of her wanted to mend the bond she'd once had with Rita, but it seemed pretty pointless when it would always be trumped by Rita's loyalty to her human and that stupid, arrogant mutt. Maybe she would be better off alone. Relying on only herself to get by, she'd have little to fear from humans or other dogs- she was fast enough to keep out of harm's way. It would just be the loneliness… the thing that she truly couldn't stand. Willow knew that it was all hopeless. She looked down at the rat. Perhaps she _would _feel better if she made an effort with Rita. It didn't mean she'd have to accept any of her good for nothing friends. She nudged the rat towards her sister. "If you're hungry, you can take some of this."

Rita was surprised, and smiled. "Thanks, but I'll find something later. You need to take care of yourself right now."

In spite of everything, Willow felt a little better. She had enough to deal with without fighting with the only person who she had to rely on. It wasn't ideal, but it was something. Maybe they could move forward. Just perhaps in baby steps.


	8. Bittersweet Parting

_A home at last! Little Willow could scarcely believe it, after believing for so long that she'd be losing her life at the pound. The humans, her new humans, talked excitedly all the way to the new place, as if they were as happy to have her as she was to be going home with them. Willow's new home wasn't anything fancy, but it was a roof over her head, food in her bowl, and cuddles whenever she needed, and by her standards, that was quite enough. She lay on their bed each night, joined them for long walks in the park, and played tug-of-war and fetch in their lounge room. It was a good life, everything she'd ever hoped for. But then something changed. Willow wasn't sure at first what had happened. The humans were excited one night, much more so than they'd been when they'd brought Willow home, crying and hugging one another. Good news? It seemed that way, but then their interest in Willow waned, and every now and then she'd see something that looked like guilt in the way they looked at her. Then the pup caught that dreaded word… 're-homed'. For a little while longer, Willow told herself that she was imagining it, that her humans could never let her go, but it wasn't to be._

_When they arrived at the new place, the master handed Willow's leash to a new man who led her out to the backyard. The puppy trembled, the feeling of home that she'd felt when she arrived at the last place was not coming here. The yard was muddy and littered with mess, another dog was chained to the sole tree that stood there. The dog, a stout female with a strong look of Pit Bull about her, eyed the newcomer, her stance proud and dominant. Willow soon found herself chained up, tied to a pole that held up the back veranda. To her, 'tied up' had always been a punishment, and she wondered what on earth she'd done wrong to deserve this. As the human turned to leave her, she cried, and cried, and cried. Occasionally, the other dog, who went by the name of Flash, would speak to her, trying to give her some comfort. While initially Willow had been very nervous of the stranger, she realised quickly that Flash had only good intentions and that in her she might find a much-needed friend._

_It came to be that Willow depended greatly on her new friend, Flash. The human was barely around, and when he did it was only to shout profanities at the dogs for their barking, which would occasionally be accompanied by throwing whatever he had at hand at one on the unfortunate canines. While Willow whimpered and cried whenever the human's rage got the better of him, Flash stood firm, refusing to submit to the horrible man. She always made the effort to keep Willow's spirits up, and although her chain prevented physical contact, they formed a close bond with each providing a desperately needed source of love to the other. _

Willow paced back and forth outside the warehouse. Rita should have been there by now, morning was long since over. It didn't take much for her to guess where she'd got to- Rita would be with Dodger as she always seemed to be. Willow's own social life was still very poor as she made as little contact as possible with the many dogs who came and went from the old warehouse. There were a few regulars, and a few who, like her, seemed to live there permanently, but recognition alone was not enough to convince her to try and make acquaintances. It was a trifle lonely, but the promise of Rita's company gave Willow the focus to get through it. At least she knew that her sister wasn't dangerous, which was more than she could say for strange street dogs. Being used to long days and nights in a squalid yard, the boredom of sitting around in her own company was not too much of a hardship, and she kept herself well fed by hunting for rats when Rita not around. Willow even had a few attempts at taking down pigeons as Rita had suggested, with varied success. She'd already eaten today whilst she'd been waiting, what with Rita obviously in no hurry to make an appearance.

* * *

The dry spell that the gang had been going through continued, and they were getting by on the bare minimum of food to eat. The pressure was on, leaving everyone ratty and getting on one another's nerves. Fagin was extremely stressed and was getting into terrible shape as he always made sure the dogs ate before he did, despite all the attempts made to help him look after himself. Rita struggled to keep her mind off Willow and was bringing even less home each day as a result, which had not gone unnoticed. Dodger managed to rope her into sticking around to get some work done with the rest of the gang, despite Rita's reluctance to let Willow down. She knew that it would do nothing to improve her sister's opinion of her, but if her family were struggling then they simply had to come first. No matter what she did she'd only feel guilty, there was just no winning.

Rita trotted back to the scooter with a pair of old socks in her jaws, which she placed next to the broken doll she found earlier in the trolley. She frowned as she looked down on the fruits of her labour; none of it would be worth anything, and so would do nothing to keep them all fed. At least Fagin could make use of the socks. Despite the horrible feeling that she had failed her master and her friends, Rita knew that she had to get back to Willow, and continue working with the hindrance of a whiny little sister in tow.

"Headin' off so soon, Rita?" Dodger called, strutting over with a wristwatch dangling from his mouth. He dropped it in with the rest of the rubbish. "Anyone would think you just don't like us anymore."

"Don't start on me again, you know I don't have a choice," Rita said, "She doesn't have anyone else."

"Pity there's no one to look out for her who doesn't already have family they're supposed to be lookin' after. There must be no one at all at the warehouse who could keep her company."

Rita glowered at him. "She doesn't want to talk to the others. Besides, she's family. I should be taking care of her." Angrily, she turned to leave. Dodger just didn't get it.

Dodger followed, knowing full well that Rita would listen to him so he'd let her slip away to see Willow. "This is all about you making yourself feel better. Tryin' to lose all that guilt you had over her. You said it yourself; she doesn't even like you. And it's not been doing you any good either, you've been miserable since you found her. It's not worth it, Rita. You're not doing yourself any favours, or Willow, or the rest of us."

Still not looking his way, Rita knew that Dodger understood far more than she'd have liked him to. She had so desperately wanted to make up for everything that went wrong when they were young, but it seemed that there was only so much she could do… and nothing could ever change the past anyway. "You're just sore because you're not the centre of my attention for a change."

"Whatever my motivation, I'm right and you know it."

"How can I just walk away, Dodge?" she looked to him, searching for support, "I know this isn't working, but deserting her all over again won't help either."

"Taking a step back doesn't mean you're leaving her. You know how tough things are gettin', Rit. We need you, _Fagin _needs you. And you gotta take care of yourself, I don't want to see you hurtin' yourself over her."

With a heavy heart, Rita conceded that something had to give; she simply couldn't fix everything that had gone wrong for Willow, and if her little sister was to have a future, it just couldn't be with her. "I'll see you later, Dodgie. I'll try not to be too late."

Dodger let her go, hoping that just a little bit of what he said had got through to her.

* * *

Willow watched as her sister approached, finally after hours of waiting. "Let me guess; you're going through a rough patch and you needed to stick around with your 'family' because they 'needed' you. Right?" she growled.

Rita steeled herself. She knew that this was not going to be easy. "Hi Willie. We gotta sort you out with some friends, or even just acquaintances- it doesn't matter, but you need someone. I can't be with you all the time, and if you want to make it as a street dog you're going to want some more support."

"You said you'd help me," Willow spat. She hadn't been waiting around all day just to be brushed off. It had seemed that she'd been getting somewhere with Rita, but that was all a mistake.

"I'm not just dropping you. But face it, it's not doing you any good to be relying on me. You need to move forward with your life, not keep going over the distant past over and over. If you want me to really help you, you're going to have to trust me." Even as she spoke, Rita had her doubts, but she couldn't see a better way. "Just give this a try, and if it works, it works. And if not… I'm not going to just leave you all alone."

Willow considered the situation and then nodded. She had no desire to make contact with the dogs who hung around the warehouse, but had to assume that Rita knew what she was doing. With trepidation, she walked back to the dark old building a few steps behind Rita.

Several other dogs looked around as the pair walked inside, interested in the unsociable newcomer who'd they'd as yet had little contact with. Rita made eye contact with an old Weimaraner who sat on the other side of the room. "Good to see you, Athena. You've met Willow? She's new to all this and could do with a friend or two on her side."

Athena's pale eyes- one almost entirely clouded over, and serious gaze gave her a stern expression, but her smile was warm. "I've seen her around, a quiet one it seems. A relative of yours, Rita?"

"My little sister," Rita wagged her tail a little, pleased but not surprised that the old dog was open to getting acquainted with Willow. She turned back to her sister. "Will, you'll have seen Athena round the place. She's Murphy's mate and one of the top dogs here."

Willow found the gaze of the strange-looking Athena to be disconcerting, one of the reasons she had avoided contact with her until that point. She was not however, ill-mannered, and managed a small smile and a tail wag. "Pleased to meet you. Your mate has been very hospitable."

"It's a pleasure to have you here. I know it takes a little while to settle, but you'll get there. If you just want to chat or anything, I'm always happy to give a listening ear." Athena said.

The Weimaraner certainly didn't look very approachable to Willow's mind, but she seemed nice enough… not at all like the vicious creature she'd imagined her to be. "Thank you, thanks a lot."

They talked for a little while, occasionally joined by one or more of Athena's companions, until the older dog needed to go off to collect something to eat. Willow found herself infinitely more comfortable in the warehouse than she had been previously, feeling welcome.

Rita was relieved that Willow was not as averse to socialising as she'd first thought, that all she needed was a little gentle prodding in the right direction. Dodger had been right; this was the best thing to do for her. Rita knew that she should have done this all along, and she should have known to do so… all that running around after Willow had been to appease her own feelings of guilt. But Willow wasn't that little puppy anymore, and Rita couldn't be her protector. She got to her feet. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

Willow could tell from the pained expression on her sister's face that she wasn't going to like what Rita had to say, but she came along, following her up towards the city.

"You did great back there, Will. We should have done that sooner, I should have…," Rita's voice caught in her throat. This was hard. "Thing is, I don't think it's doing you any good to be relying on me so much. I'm just a reminder of everything you got away from, and everything you went through because I failed you," she whined softly, already seeing the anger rising up on Willow's face, "If you hate me, I understand. I've let you down all over again… I'm sorry."

"So you're just going to walk away? Again? That's worked out real well for me before, great thinking there, sis," Willow snarled, "Face it, you'd just rather be with your precious Dodger. Who needs family when you can have some creep of a mongrel to keep happy?" she panted, the fury she felt threatening to get the better of her.

Rita was not surprised by Willow's reaction, and held her ground. "I told you before; they need me and I'm not letting them down. That's not up for discussion." She wouldn't budge, not on this. "Forget about Dodger. Do you _really _want to be dependent on me? You're a grown woman with your own life to lead, I can't be your security blanket. I'm not the same person as I was back the either. Willie, I can't take back what I did to you, and I'm sorry, but we need to move on."

Angry tears filled Willow's eyes. Perhaps she'd been clinging to some fantasy of a relationship with someone who she'd once loved. But Rita was right… neither of them were the same people, and what had once been was gone forever. "You could have taken me with you. I know I'd treated you like dirt, but I was just a scared little kid. You could have taken me."

"You think I don't know that? I was a scared little kid too, Willow, I was desperate to escape from the home I hated. It didn't even enter my head that I could have taken you with me, not until it was too late. When I realised what I'd done…" A lump had formed in Rita's throat as years' worth of emotions threatened to overpower her. Then the tears came. "I went searching for you, I was convinced that you'd been left out on the streets, I thought I could fix it. It can't take away from your suffering, but I put myself through hell for you. I always loved you, always."

Willow sobbed, torn between clinging desperately to her sister and pushing her away. "I love you too," she whispered.

"You're going to be okay, I promise you. You're free now; you can make your life anything you want it to be. I'll see you when I can, and I'll help you where I can, but you're not going to move on if I keep holding on to you. You can do this, Willie. Everything's going to be okay." Rita wanted nothing more than to snuggle close to her sister, but knew that such contact would not be accepted. She gazed at Willow with great tenderness and hoped that she could feel how much she cared.

They sat together for a long while, crying over what they'd lost. The road forward would be long and slow, for that was the way it had to be. When the sun dipped below the horizon, Rita started off home, and Willow watched, still teary. The wrongs of the past had been forgiven, but the goodbye was all the harder for it.

* * *

Rita slowly walked back to the barge, taking her time so her tears would have subsided by the time she got home. She had appearances to keep up. The long dormant heartache that she'd thought was behind her now seemed to be healing for good. Rita knew that she and Willow had a long way still to go, but something seemed different between them- in a good way. Life could go back to normal, just with the added wonderful knowledge that her beloved Willow was safe, and eventually she was going to be all right. It was a bittersweet feeling, knowing that she'd have to put that bit of distance between them.

Even in the dark that had fast fallen, Rita could make out the small figure of a dog sitting a little way up from the barge, waiting. The sight warmed her heart. A caring friend was just what she needed in that moment.

"I was startin' to wonder where you'd got to." Dodger said, "Everything all right, babe?"

"I'm fine. It's been a rough afternoon, I'll tell you," Rita sat down close beside him, "I'm letting her go. I'll check up on her in a few days, but she's going to sort herself out without me. I managed to get her talking with Athena, so she's going to be well looked after. So, that's that. Maybe we'll be friends someday, but right now I'm just going to appreciate the fact that she's alive at all."

"Good call. Must be a lot for you to deal with; you need to talk or anything, you know where I am." He could see that she'd been crying, but all the same she didn't seem too upset. Rita was smiling warmly at him. "Anyhow, we got news. Fagin managed to get a loan with some guy; not sure on the details but it means we're not going hungry for a while."

Rita's smile faltered a little. "But how are we ever going to pay-"

Dodger just shook his head, untroubled. "Don't worry about it. Trust me, we'll sort it. Come on, let's get some food in you."

Everyone was in high spirits, and well fed for the first time in a long time. The atmosphere in the barge was a happy one, and Rita found herself glad to be home and among her friends. It was like Dodger said; whatever happened, they'd work it out somehow. She could only hope that one day Willow might find herself just as happy.

* * *

Willow curled up in her usual corner of the warehouse. The usual chatter of the many other dogs was for once not a cause of stress for her. She felt safe. For the first time since she stumbled across Rita again, she knew how she really felt about her older sister. They couldn't be together, not like before, but Willow knew that she loved Rita. The future was still frighteningly uncertain, but she at least felt like she had one now. She felt a new acceptance of her situation, and it was calming. It seemed that she was a street dog now, just like her father, and just like Rita. She was going to make it.


End file.
